So much of what Orthodox, and particularly ultra Orthodox Jews argue for in their own lives, particularly when it comes to family and working life, is based on what they claim is "tradition". Turns out it's not, and probably never was.

...as can dealing with the argument from charity. If in a seminar you were to argue that I’ve committed a well-known fallacy by not deriving my conclusions from my premises and I reply, “You don’t know what you’re on about, I’ve just given 10 bucks to a homeless person,” my answer wouldn’t be accepted. But if you’re a religious person, it’s a fantastic counter-argument. It’s the special permission they expect to be granted to talk nonsense.

10 comments:

The problem I have with the "whistleblowers" like Hella Winston and Vicky Polin is that these people don't put anything into perspective. It's reminiscent of Soviet propaganda telling, Russians what a hell america was, with homeless bums and racism. Unmentioned was that Russia was far worse.

The fact is that if you don't want your minor children to have sex, becoming an orthodox Jew is probably the smartest thing you can do.

A footnote: Stormfront loves these stories too. Any chance of a joint Nazi/Jewish skeptic blog?

"The fact is that if you don't want your minor children to have sex, becoming an orthodox Jew is probably the smartest thing you can do."

Actually the smartest thing you can do in that scenario is to cut off the arms and legs of all your chilren, chain them to a wall and lock them in a basement without windows untill their 18 years old. That would ensure your kids wont have sex untill they are adults, and that is a fact.

Orthodox Judaism doesn't necessarily have issues with minor sex. Consider the ages at which marriage was allowed by Chazal. It's extramarital sex that's the issue-- and entirely different consideration.

However considering that the Orthodox community has been verified, in certain circumstances, to protect sexual predators, victimize the victims and obstruct legal action- there is most definitely a place for Winston and Polin.

Equating Polin and Winston with Stormfront is specious and possibly slanderous. I can't respond to the Oprah quote because I have no access to the entirety of the text and you may well be taking it out of context.

Apparently the halachot of dan l'kaf zchus and loshon horoh aren't part of your philosophy. She makes it clear that most Jewish people have no part in this and do not know that such things exist. I can't imagine that you would be happy if bloggers were posting similar sweeping generalizations and slander about you.